2 problems with Neo & desktop app

Ron D · Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:13 pm

Hi ppl,

Bad weather has set in so i got my Neo installed again. However i encoutered 2 problems

Problem 1: During workouts the wattage often drops. I then get a message that I have to maintain a pace for 5 seconds to get the correct power again. But after this the power is too low, about 1/3 to 1/2?
How do I fix this or what could be the cause?

Problem 2: I have connected my Neo to my laptop with bluetooth up to now. But because I cannot register heart rate values, I bought a cycplus ant+ dongle. After installing the drivers, the Desktop app did not see that I had ANT +. I then pressed "cannot find my device" and then the message came that I had to install a piece of software for ANT +. Done that and then the desktop app saw that I had ANT + (the symbol was green in the app).
However, the desktop app does not see my Neo and my Garmin heart rate belt. And the NEO ANT+ light does not brun either)
Turned off bluetooth and turned Neo and laptop on and off but still no result. Also with the laptop right next to the Neo. (i ordered a USB extention cable today too get the dongle next to the NEO)
I do see that there is continuous "connecting ..." for the Neo in the device overview. When I press "search" (for the heart rate belt or to reconnect to the Neo) nothing happens.

What to do? Thanks for any suggestions

Tue Dec 29, 2020 8:01 pm

Before doing a bunch of troubleshooting, I would make sure you are running the latest version of TDA (1.17.5.0 - click "About" on the Dashboard page) and that you have the latest firmware for your Neo. You need the latest version of the mobile Tacx Utility App (2.3.3) to update firmware. Here is a link to utility app information:

https://tacxfaqx.com/article-categories ... ility-app/

Aleksander · Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:22 am

Hi friend.
Look carefully at the note to the product description.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/690897/pn/T2028
This is an antenna Tacx Ant +
NOTE: The Tacx Desktop application will communicate with Tacx Trainers via Bluetooth and is not compatible with this accessory.
Accordingly, the Tacx desktop application will not work on ANT +.
Try zwift or analog.

mcinner1 · Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:42 am

The Tacx Desctop App works perfectly via ANT+ and the NEO communicates both - via Ant+ and bluetooth!
I tried out and both was working. For ANT+ I used the antenna shown in the link above. The drivers were already installed from TTs4.

Now I use bluetooth connection for my NEO (first edition 2015), because less wires and stuff like antenna...

Ron D · Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:42 pm

mcorn wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 8:01 pm Before doing a bunch of troubleshooting, I would make sure you are running the latest version of TDA (1.17.5.0 - click "About" on the Dashboard page) and that you have the latest firmware for your Neo. You need the latest version of the mobile Tacx Utility App (2.3.3) to update firmware. Here is a link to utility app information:

https://tacxfaqx.com/article-categories ... ility-app/

Both are up to date

Ron D · Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:44 pm

What do you mean Aleksander?

TDA should work with any ANT+ reciever right?

Ron D · Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:45 pm

mcinner1 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:42 am The Tacx Desctop App works perfectly via ANT+ and the NEO communicates both - via Ant+ and bluetooth!
I tried out and both was working. For ANT+ I used the antenna shown in the link above. The drivers were already installed from TTs4.

Now I use bluetooth connection for my NEO (first edition 2015), because less wires and stuff like antenna...

Its works fine with bluetooth but my heart rate monitor is a garmin and works with ANT+ and not bleutooth. SO I want to use ANT+

mcinner1 · Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:02 pm

Ron D wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:45 pm Its works fine with bluetooth but my heart rate monitor is a garmin and works with ANT+ and not bleutooth. SO I want to use ANT+

Ok, maybe this is not a helpful answer - but if you can‘t get ANT+ going on your system - wouldn‘t it be a relaxed solution to spend another 50 bucks and buy a ANT & BT belt - like Wahoo Tickr...? (I use it for Garmin Edge via ANT and TDA via BT)

Ron D · Sun Jan 03, 2021 4:34 pm

mcinner1 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:02 pm
Ron D wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:45 pm Its works fine with bluetooth but my heart rate monitor is a garmin and works with ANT+ and not bleutooth. SO I want to use ANT+
Ok, maybe this is not a helpful answer - but if you can‘t get ANT+ going on your system - wouldn‘t it be a relaxed solution to spend another 50 bucks and buy a ANT & BT belt - like Wahoo Tickr...? (I use it for Garmin Edge via ANT and TDA via BT)

But when my laptop is connected via BT it cannot connect to that BT belt right? So u use register everything on your edge (ANT) and use BT for the TDA? I used my edge for registration but i find it is less accurate as TDA. A diffenrance of several kph/h.

Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:24 pm

First, you can buy a good dual BT/ANT+ HRM for a lot less than $50. No need for a big name brand. I have been using a CooSpo that I got on Amazon for a year and a half without any problems.

But mostly I do not understand the comment about accuracy and speed difference. All speed data comes from the brake, regardless of which receiving is displaying it. Receivers may do instantaneous speed data slightly differently, but average speed will be the same.

One thing to keep in mind is a you can send data by Bluetooth to only one place. Unlike ANT+, you cannot receive data by BT on multiple receivers at the same time. It must be 1 to 1, not 1 to many. So when you are using your trainer or any sensor, like HRM, with BT, you must be sure no other computer is already connected to the trainer or sensor. You also have to be sure that the trainer or sensor are not BT linked in the general Windows BT linking setup. All BT linking in TDA must be through TDA itself.

Ron D · Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:06 pm

I understand. But by using my edge with an BT belt, how can i use training programs, ride alongs, etc. on TDA or zwift?

Sun Jan 03, 2021 9:34 pm

Ron D wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:06 pm I understand. But by using my edge with an BT belt, how can i use training programs, ride alongs, etc. on TDA or zwift?

I guess I am not really understanding the issue. My wife and I ride our tandem mounted on a Neo2T. I also have an older Garmin Edge 500 computer that works only on ANT+. So, one of of us wears the CooSpo dual BT/ANT+ belt and the other wears an older Garmin ANT+ HRM. TDA picks up the BT heart signal from the CooSpo and the Edge picks up the ANT+ HRM. In addition, the Edge picks up speed, power, and cadence transmitted by ANT+ from the Neo2T. It all works fine and is very compatible. We have done the same thing with a Flux 2 Smart. In this setup, I do not have an ANT+ antenna connected to the computer as it is not needed.

With regard to speed readouts on TDA and Edge not agreeing, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, the wheel circumference settings in TDA and your Edge should be the same. Second, even if they are the same, speeds may not always agree because TDA, like most bike software, uses "Virtual Speed", which is calculated and not necessarily the same as wheel speed. So, you should not expect those two devices to always agree.

Besides TDA, we have done the same thing with Rouvy and Veloreality software. So, if this is not working for you, you likely have either a hardware problem somewhere or you are attempting to connect your BT devices incorrectly as described above. Remember, BT connections are only 1 to 1, so if your BT device is already connected to something else, it will not connect properly.

mcinner1 · Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:19 am

Just to give an example how I do connections:

1) Laptop TDA: all connected via BT
-NEO trainer (speed, cadence; power disabled)
-Tickr dual Heartbelt
-Stages dual powermeter crank for power

2) Garmin Edge 1030: all connected via ANT+
-NEO as speed sensor
-Tickr dual Heartbelt
-Stages dual powermeter crank for power and cadence

As @mcorn says: speed will always be different in TDA and at the Edge.
Your Edge shows „raw speed“ and TDA shows software manipulated „virtual speed“.
The steeper the slope, the greater the difference between the two readings. The Edge will then show a higher speed than TDA.

For my MTB setting I have wheel circumference in TDA=2.0 m and on Edge speedsensor=230 cm.
For me, this brings the best match for tours that are not too steep.

Since TDA activities are uploaded and stored in Garmin Connect, I use my Edge only to keep the training status (VO2 max etc...) actual. I don‘t double upload the activities to Connect. Therefore it is not necessary to have an exact match of speed -> and distance.
(Uploaded „virtual biking“ from TDA to Garmin Connect are not part of „Physio Trueup“ - means: they have no back effect to your Edge, are not visible there.)

Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:07 pm

mcinner1 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:19 am As @mcorn says: speed will always be different in TDA and at the Edge.
Your Edge shows „raw speed“ and TDA shows software manipulated „virtual speed“.
The steeper the slope, the greater the difference between the two readings. The Edge will then show a higher speed than TDA.

The other thing I should have mentioned, which is a virtual speed aspect of TDA, is if you have difficulty set to something other than 100% (to make it easier to climb steep hills), this will also cause a variance.

Ron D · Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:33 pm

Thanks very much for the elaborate respons. I talked to Tacx product support today and i found out that my Belt is a dual belt (ANT & BT). So it should work. Laptop is a brand new one so i dont expect harware problems on that side. Maybe the trainer itself. However, the guy at Tacx offert me a free Tacx ANT+ stick because he is sure that this will work. If not i should contact him agian.
It will arrive tomorrow or day after. Great and un expected service from Tacx/Garmin.

Ron D · Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:19 pm

Recieved the ANT+ stick from Garmin and it works

Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:51 pm

Ron D wrote: ↑Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:19 pm Recieved the ANT+ stick from Garmin and it works

Sometimes it is the simplest of things. Not sure what the issue with CycPlus is. It might have worked better if you had put it on a USB extension cable. ANT+ seems a little more sensitive to distance issues than BT.